We’re looking forward to introducing you to Les Kiser. Check out our conversation below.
Les, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, I’ve been investing time and efforts into supporting the Elgin (Texas) High School auto mechanics program. I put out calls to the local motoring community for tools, equipment, and even project vehicles that the students can utilize as fun learning tools. Seeing the program grow is the greatest highlight and I owe the motoring community a world of thanks for the support they have demonstrated though their donations.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Les “The Mayor” Kiser. After years in motorsports broadcasting and a career in business analysis and professional project management, I’ve shifted some of my energy to philanthropy. Alongside my work with a collector car business and an international real-estate portfolio, I rally the motoring community to support Make-A-Wish, Your Ride Is Here, and technical education initiatives.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My parents led by example, showing up for a variety of charitable organizations. In our family, volunteering was just how things were done. So, it felt natural that my siblings and I were included from a young age, learning to pitch in, listen, and serve. That rhythm of giving is still part of who we are.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I live with ADD, and it’s shaped me in good and hard ways. I chase new challenges with intense focus, almost insatiably. When I feel I’ve hit the ceiling of my abilities, I sometimes to lose interest. Golf was a perfect example: after a few years, my score hovered around 91. I wasn’t willing to invest the time or the money trying to hit that little ball with crooked sticks. What’s stuck, though, is my love for improving system like fine tuning business processes the way you’d tune a car. That kind of problem-solving holds my attention, remarkably rewards my focus, and has led me into a career that’s both fun and demanding. I’m grateful for that fit. It lets me channel the upside of ADD while being honest about its limits. Having multiple projects running at once, allows me to shift to another when my mindset isn’t strong enough to effectively deal with the first. I have learned that my best computer time is early in the day when I catch up on emails and prioritize my list of things to do. During the middle of the day, I engage with others relative to the work and then again later in the day, I retreat to my solo time and work on my own.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Too many smart people equate “meeting requirements” with creating value, checking the box and stopping, while ignoring simple manual fixes and smart use of technology that would multiply results. The deeper miss is cultural: rigid “this is the way we always did it” thinking where leaders overlook creative insights from frontline workers of any rank or education level. A better mindset is to improve one step at a time, and let process drive the tools, pairing curiosity with execution. When it comes to careers, we oversell “do what you love” and undersell finding something you enjoy that aligns with your aptitude and market demand, so it becomes a rewarding, bill-paying path, not just a hobby.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I’d stop saying yes to work that isn’t aligned with real impact and instead figure out how to enable my family to spend more time together on community support initiatives building a sustainable way to earn a living while doing it.
More travel and fewer traffic jams; more music and less noise; more smiles… always more smiles.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thespeedmayor.org/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leskiser/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PourhouseGarageAndSocialClub/
Image Credits
Photos owned by Les Kiser
